U.S. patent application number 10/718847 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-26 for methods, systems and computer program products for monitoring files.
Invention is credited to Atchison, Charles.
Application Number | 20050114403 10/718847 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34591167 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050114403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Atchison, Charles |
May 26, 2005 |
Methods, systems and computer program products for monitoring
files
Abstract
A method for monitoring files including receiving a folder
including at least one file path specifying a server machine and a
directory. For one or more of the file paths in the folder, a query
is transmitted to the server machine requesting current directory
data corresponding to the directory. The current directory data
includes a file name, a created date, a modified date and a file
size for files included in the directory. Current directory data is
received from the server machine in response to the query and the
current directory data is stored in a monitoring database. The
method also includes creating a monitoring report including the
server machine, the directory and the current directory data for
the one or more file paths. The monitoring report is transmitted to
a user.
Inventors: |
Atchison, Charles;
(US) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Anne Davis Barry
CANTOR COLBURN LLP
55 Griffin Road South
Bloomfield
CT
06002
US
|
Family ID: |
34591167 |
Appl. No.: |
10/718847 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ; 707/999.2;
707/E17.117 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 707/99956 20130101;
G06F 11/1458 20130101; G06F 11/1464 20130101; G06F 16/972
20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/200 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/30 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for monitoring files, said method comprising: receiving
a folder including at least one file path specifying a server
machine and a directory; for one or more of said file paths in said
folder: transmitting a query to said server machine requesting
current directory data corresponding to said directory, said
current directory data including a file name, a created date, a
modified date and a file size for files included in said directory;
receiving said current directory data from said server machine in
response to said query; and storing said server machine, said
directory and said current directory data in a monitoring database;
creating a monitoring report including said server machine, said
directory and said current directory data for said one or more of
said file paths; and transmitting said monitoring report to a
user.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding a new file path
to said folder.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing one of said
file paths from said folder.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: updating a recipient
list associated with said folder, said recipient list including one
or more e-mail addresses; and transmitting said monitoring report
to said one or more e-mail addresses included in said recipient
list.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating a log file for
said current directory data for said one or more of said file paths
in response to said storing.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said server machine is a local
machine.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said server machine is a remote
machine and said query is transmitted via a network.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting said current
directory data for said one or more of said file paths to a
user.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said presenting includes
displaying said current directory data in a user interface
screen.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising: comparing said
current directory data to a previous version of said directory
data; and transmitting an alert message to said user if a previous
file size in said previous version of said directory data is larger
than a corresponding said file size in said current directory
data.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating a trigger
event for said folder, wherein said receiving a folder is in
response to said trigger event.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said trigger event is a
pre-selected time of day.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein said trigger event is a
pre-selected time interval.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein said trigger event is an
occurrence of a pre-specified event.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein said pre-specified event is a
user launching a file monitoring application.
16. A system for monitoring files, the system comprising: a
network; a storage device in communication with said network,
wherein said storage device includes a monitoring database; a host
system in communication with said network, said host system
including application software to implement a method comprising:
receiving a folder including at least one file path specifying a
server machine and a directory; for one or more of said file paths
in said folder: transmitting a query via said network to said
server machine requesting current directory data corresponding to
said directory, said current directory data including a file name,
a created date, a modified date and a file size for files included
in said directory; receiving said current directory data from said
server machine via said network in response to said query; and
storing said server machine, said directory and said current
directory data in a monitoring database; creating a monitoring
report including said server machine, said directory and said
current directory data for said one or more of said file paths; and
transmitting said monitoring report to a user.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein said application software is
written in visual basic.
18. The system of claim 16 wherein said host system is a personal
computer.
19. The system of claim 16 wherein said network is the
Internet.
20. The system of claim 16 wherein said network in an intranet.
21. The system of claim 16 wherein said monitoring database is a
relational database.
22. A computer program product for monitoring files, the computer
program product comprising: a storage medium readable by a
processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the
processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising: receiving
a folder including at least one file path specifying a server
machine and a directory; for one or more of said file paths in said
folder: transmitting a query to said server machine requesting
current directory data corresponding to said directory, said
current directory data including a file name, a created date, a
modified date and a file size for files included in said directory;
receiving said current directory data from said server machine in
response to said query; and storing said server machine, said
directory and said current directory data in a monitoring database;
creating a monitoring report including said server machine, said
directory and said current directory data for said one or more of
said file paths; and transmitting said monitoring report to a user.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to monitoring files
and in particular, to methods of verifying the existence and size
of files contained in specified directories.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The volume of information being stored on computer systems
has exploded in recent years. Modem corporations have become
increasingly dependent on the accuracy of data stored in computers
for running their day-to-day operations. Computer data and computer
processing is no longer contained to a single geographic site but
instead may span multiple sites via high-speed network connections
and distributed processing capabilities. Backup data files are
created for production data (e.g., databases, files) on a regular
basis. The frequency of creating backups (e.g., daily, weekly,
monthly, quarterly, yearly) may depend on factors such as the type
of data, the volatility of the data and other business
requirements. For security and/or capacity reasons, backup data may
be stored in a geographic location that is separate from the
production application and data. After each backup job is executed,
it is important that an employee, such as a system administrator,
verifies that the backup job has successfully completed and created
a "good" backup copy of the production data. Having a good backup
file is an integral part of data recovery plans and/or disaster
recovery plans that may need to be implemented by the
corporation.
[0003] To perform the monitoring of backup files, system
administrators typically logon to multiple machines and directories
each morning to verify that databases and other files have been
successfully backed up during the previous evening. This task often
requires the system administrator to verify not only the existence
of the files but also to check the size of the files. If a current
backup file is smaller in size than the previous backup file, then
this is a sign for the system administrator that the backup file
should be further investigated because it may contain incomplete
data. As the number of server systems, directories and files
becomes more numerous, checking each file manually can become a
tedious and error prone process for the system administrators.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Embodiments of the present invention include a method for
monitoring files. The method includes receiving a folder including
at least one file path specifying a server machine and a directory.
For one or more of the file paths in the folder, a query is
transmitted to the server machine requesting current directory data
corresponding to the directory. The current directory data includes
a file name, a created date, a modified date and a file size for
files included in the directory. Current directory data is received
from the server machine in response to the query and the current
directory data is stored in a monitoring database. The method also
includes creating a monitoring report including the server machine,
the directory and the current directory data for the one or more
file paths. The monitoring report is transmitted to a user.
[0005] Other embodiments of the present invention include a system
for monitoring files including a network and a storage device in
communication with the network. The storage device includes a
monitoring database. The system further includes a host system in
communication with the network. The host system includes
application software to implement a method that includes receiving
a folder including at least one file path specifying a server
machine and a directory. For one or more of the file paths in the
folder a query is transmitted via the network to the server machine
requesting current directory data corresponding to the directory.
The current directory data includes a file name, a created date, a
modified date and a file size for files included in the directory.
Current directory data is received from the server machine via the
network in response to the query and the current directory data is
stored in the monitoring database. A monitoring report that
includes the server machine, the directory and the current
directory data for the one or more file paths is created. The
monitoring report is then transmitted to a user.
[0006] Further embodiments of the present invention include a
computer program product for monitoring files including a storage
medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions
for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method
for receiving a folder including at least one file path specifying
a server machine and a directory. For one or more of the file paths
in the folder, a query is transmitted to the server machine
requesting current directory data corresponding to the directory.
The current directory data includes a file name, a created date, a
modified date and a file size for files included in the directory.
Current directory data is received from the server machine in
response to the query and the current directory data is stored in a
monitoring database. The method also includes creating a monitoring
report including the server machine, the directory and the current
directory data for the one or more file paths. The monitoring
report is transmitted to a user.
[0007] Other systems, methods and/or computer program products
according to embodiments will be or become apparent to one with
skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed
description. It is intended that all such additional systems,
methods, and/or computer program products be within the scope of
the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements
are numbered alike in the several FIGURES:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for
monitoring files;
[0010] FIG. 2 is flow diagram of an exemplary process for setting
up files to be monitored and users to be notified by a file
monitoring application;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an exemplary user interface for setting up an
e-mail notification of monitoring results;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an exemplary user interface for specifying file
paths to be monitored;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an exemplary user interface for specifying
recipient e-mail addresses;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for
monitoring files;
[0015] FIG. 7 is an exemplary user interface for displaying a file
monitoring application status window; and
[0016] FIG. 8 is an exemplary e-mail notification format that may
be utilized by exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a
method for monitoring files by providing an automated process of
verifying the existence and size of files contained in specified
directories (local or remote). A user may specify a local directory
by entering a drive name and directory name. The user may also
specify a directory located on a remote server by entering an
Internet protocol (IP) address and directory name. Exemplary
embodiments of the present invention return (e.g., by e-mail, via
an application status window) the names, sizes and modification
dates of all files found in the specified directories. The user can
then compare the results to the previous day's (or week's or
month's or etc.) results. Alternate exemplary embodiments of the
present invention include the ability for the method to proactively
compare current backup results to previous backup results and then
to alert the user of any discrepancies, thus further automating the
monitoring process. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention
may be utilized by server administrators, database administrators
and web masters who are concerned with verifying the existence
and/or monitoring the size of log files, backup files or any other
non-static files.
[0018] In FIG. 1, a block diagram of an exemplary system for
monitoring files is generally shown. The exemplary system includes
a host system 104 for executing a file monitoring application. The
system in FIG. 1 also includes one or more user systems 102 through
which users such as server administrators, database administrators
and web masters located at one or more geographic locations may
contact the host system 104 to initiate the execution of the file
monitoring application. In exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, the host system 104 executes the file monitoring
application and the user system 102 is coupled to the host system
104 via a network 106. Each user system 102 may be implemented
using a general-purpose computer executing a computer program for
carrying out the processes described herein. The user system 102
may be a personal computer (e.g., a lap top, a personal digital
assistant) or a host attached terminal. If the user system 102 is a
personal computer, the processing described herein may be shared by
a user system 102 and the host system 104 (e.g., by providing an
applet to the user system 102).
[0019] The network 106 may be any type of known network including,
but not limited to, a wide area network (WAN), a voice over
Internet protocol (VOIP) network, a local area network (LAN), a
global network (e.g. Internet), a virtual private network (VPN),
and an intranet. The network 106 may be implemented using a
wireless network or any kind of physical network implementation
known in the art. A user system 102 may be coupled to the host
system through multiple networks (e.g., intranet and LAN) so that
not all user systems 102 are coupled to the host system 104 through
the same network. One or more of the user systems 102 and the host
system 104 may be connected to the network 106 in a wireless
fashion.
[0020] The storage device 108 depicted in FIG. 1 may be implemented
using a variety of devices for storing electronic information. It
is understood that the storage device 108 may be implemented using
memory contained in the host system 104 or it may be a separate
physical device. The storage device 108 is logically addressable as
a consolidated data source across a distributed environment that
includes a network 106. The physical data may be located in a
variety of geographic locations depending on application and access
requirements. Information stored in the storage device 108 may be
retrieved and manipulated via the host system 104. The storage
device 108 includes a monitoring database and a log file of file
monitoring application results. In exemplary embodiments of the
present invention, the monitoring database is relational and
includes a list of file paths associated with one or more folders.
The use of multiple folders allows different trigger events to
initiate the file monitoring application for different lists of
file paths and/or to allow subsets of the results to be sent to
different sets of users.
[0021] The storage device also includes a log file containing
copies of file monitoring data that is collected each time that the
file monitoring application is executed. This data may include:
date and time that the file monitoring application was executed;
server name; directory name; file name; created date; modified date
and size. The administrator may choose how and when to purge the
log file for particular folders or files. The storage device 108
may also include other kinds of data such as information concerning
the set-up of the file monitoring folders (e.g., date and time of
set-up). In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the
host system 104 operates as a database server and coordinates
access to application data including data stored on storage device
108. Access to data contained in the monitoring database may be
restricted based on user characteristics.
[0022] The host system 104 depicted in FIG. 1 may be implemented
using one or more servers operating in response to a computer
program stored in a storage medium accessible by the server. In
exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the host system 104
is a personal computer. In alternate exemplary embodiments of the
present invention, the host system 104 and user system 102 are the
same physical machine (e.g., a personal computer) and the storage
device 108 is contained within the physical machine. The host
system 104 may operate as a network server (e.g., a web server) to
communicate with the user system 102. The host system 104 handles
sending and receiving information to and from the user system 102
and can perform associated tasks. In exemplary embodiments of the
present invention, the host system 104 is running an operating
system such as Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0. The host system 104
may reside behind a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to the
host system 104 and enforce any limitations on authorized access. A
firewall may be implemented using conventional hardware and/or
software as is known in the art.
[0023] The host system 104 may also operate as an application
server. The host system 104 executes one or more computer programs
to monitor the existence and size of files that are contained in
file paths (e.g., server/directory) specified in a folder. These
files may be accessed via the host system 104 or via a remote
server system 110. The server portion of a file path specifies
whether a file to be monitored is accessed via the host system 104
or via one of the server systems 110. The actual backup files may
be located on storage devices 112 that are connected directly to a
server system 110 or storage devices 112 that are in communication
with a server system 110 via a network 106. In exemplary
embodiments of the present invention, the server portion of the
file path contains the IP address of the server system 110
containing the directory. The processing of the file monitoring
application may be shared by a user system 102 and the host system
104 by providing an application (e.g., java applet) to the user
system 102. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the
file monitoring application is written in Visual Basic 6.0 and may
execute as a background application. As previously described, it is
understood that separate servers may be utilized to implement the
network server functions and the application server functions.
Alternatively, the network server, the firewall, and the
application server may be implemented by a single server executing
computer programs to perform the requisite functions.
[0024] FIG. 2 is flow diagram of an exemplary process for setting
up files to be monitored and users to be notified by the file
monitoring application. This process is utilized to set up a folder
that contains one or more file paths to be monitored. Any number of
folders may be created with any combinations of file paths by
executing the process described in reference to FIG. 2. At step
202, the user (e.g., an administrator) accesses the set-up screens
located in the file monitoring application. A user interface screen
such as the one depicted in FIG. 3 may be presented to the user. At
step 204, the user enters the e-mail address of the administrator
(see administrator entry box 302 in FIG. 3). This address is the
address that will appear as the "from" address when the file
monitoring application sends monitoring results via an e-mail to
recipients (e.g., server administrators, database administrators,
web masters). Also at step 202, the user will be prompted to enter
one or more SMTP server addresses (see SMTP entry box 304 in FIG.
3) and optionally a port (see port entry box 306 in FIG. 3). If a
value is not entered in the port entry box 306 a default value
(e.g., "25") will be assumed by the file monitoring application.
The default value "25" may be utilized because many SMTP servers
use port "25" for delivery. However, if a SMTP server uses any
other port, it may be specified in the port entry box 306. The SMTP
address entered in the SMTP entry box 304 represents the mail
server that will be utilized to send e-mail notifications to the
recipients. To utilize the e-mail option, one or more valid SMTP
addresses must be provided. Multiple SMTP address may be utilized
for failover in case one fails. In exemplary embodiments of the
present invention, when multiple SMTP addresses are specified they
are separated by a semi-colon.
[0025] Next, step 206 in FIG. 2 is performed to specify trigger
events that will cause the file monitoring application to be
initiated for the directories in the folder. The file monitoring
application for the file paths in the folder may be executed each
time that the file monitoring application is launched (see
scheduler box 308 in FIG. 3). This option may be utilized by a user
that requires that the file monitoring application be run several
times a day for the particular directories contained in the folder.
A component, such as a Windows scheduler may be utilized to run the
application as often as necessary. Alternatively, the file
monitoring application for the file paths in the folder may be
executed at pre-selected times (see scheduler box 308 in FIG. 3).
If this second option is selected, any scheduler application (third
party or in-house) known in the art may be utilized to trigger the
execution. In alternate exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, the file monitoring application may be executed in
response to external events, such as when a file is updated or as a
step in a batch job stream. Combinations of these methods may also
be implemented utilizing exemplary embodiments of the present
invention. Note also, that the user can select the "Run" option
from a file monitoring application main toolbar to activate the
file monitoring application processes at any time for the file
paths in the folder created during the current set-up process. Once
the data is input, the user may select to either save all changes
or to exit without saving (see exit box 310 in FIG. 3).
[0026] Referring back to FIG. 2, at step 208, the user specifies
the file paths to be monitored by the file monitoring application.
A user interface screen such as the one depicted in FIG. 4 may be
utilized to perform step 208 in FIG. 2. The files paths
(server/directory combinations) may be remote and/or local and are
entered by the user into the file path entry box 402 in FIG. 4. For
data files located on or accessed via the host system 104, the file
path would identify a drive and a directory (e.g.,
"c.backslash.directory.backslash."). Data files located on or
accessed via remote server systems 110 would have a file path that
identifies both a server address and a directory (e.g.,
".backslash..backslash.90.00.000.00.backslash.directory.backslash.").
Once the user enters the file path, an add button is selected (see
add button 406 in FIG. 4) to add the sever/directory combination to
the current folder (see list box 404 in FIG. 4). As shown in the
user interface depicted in FIG. 4, a user may remove a file path
from the list box 404, or folder, by double clicking on the file
path. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention there is no
limit to the number of servers and directories that may be
contained in the folder. In addition, there is no limit to the
number of folders that may be created by repeating the process
outlined in FIG. 2.
[0027] At step 210 in FIG. 2, the e-mail addresses of recipients of
the file monitoring application results for the folder are entered
by the user into a user interface screen such as the one depicted
in FIG. 5. One or more recipient e-mail addresses are entered into
a recipient e-mail address entry box 502 as depicted in FIG. 5. The
recipient e-mail addresses are presented to the user as shown in
the list box 504 in FIG. 5. Each time that the file monitoring
application is executed for this folder, each of these e-mail
addresses will be sent a listing of the results. The lists of
e-mail addresses and file paths are stored in the storage device
108. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a test
e-mail be sent to verify that the e-mail capability has been
properly configured for the folder. Each recipient in the list of
e-mail addresses will receive a test message when this option is
utilized and the message will be identified as a test message.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for
monitoring files when a trigger event occurs. Any trigger event set
up at step 206 in FIG. 2 could have occurred and caused the file
monitoring application to execute for a particular folder. At step
602, a list of file paths (e.g., server/directory combinations)
included in the folder is received by the file monitoring
application. This is the list that was created at step 208 in FIG.
2. At step 604, the file monitoring application accesses the first
file path in the folder. Next, at step 606, the file monitoring
application sends a query to the server/directory combination found
in the file path. If the file path is local (e.g., on the host
system 104) then a query is sent to the host system 104. If the
file path specifies a remote server/directory combination (e.g., on
a server system 110) then a query is sent to the server system 110
specified by the address in the server/directory combination. The
query sends the directory and requests the name, creation date,
modified date and size data for any files contained in the
directory.
[0029] At step 608, the file monitoring application receives data
back from the server specified by the file path (e.g., the host
system 104, a server system 110). This data, along with the file
path is then stored in a monitoring database located on the storage
device 108. Before the new data is stored, the previous copy of the
data may be archived to a log file. Next, step 610 is performed to
determine if there is another file path in the folder. If there is
another file path in the folder, then step 612 is performed to go
to the next file path in the folder and the loop starting at step
606 is performed for the next file path in the folder. If there are
no more file paths in the folder, as determined at step 610, then
step 614 is performed and the monitoring data received by the file
monitoring application for directories contained in the folder is
presented to the user. In exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, a file monitoring application status window, such as the
one depicted in FIG. 7 is displayed to the administrator of the
system. Additionally, an exemplary e-mail notification formatted
like the one depicted in FIG. 8 is e-mailed to the recipients
listed in step 210 of FIG. 2.
[0030] FIG. 7 is an exemplary user interface for displaying a file
monitoring application status window in a basic window style user
interface (e.g., including a toolbar 712). The window style user
interface allows the user to intuitively access the file monitoring
application features. Once the process described in reference to
FIG. 6 has completed, the results for the folder are displayed in a
main scroll box listing the following data elements: the specified
path(s) 702, the names of every file found in the specified path(s)
704 and the file description data 706. The file description data
706 includes the date and time the file was created, the date and
time the file was last modified and the size of the file. This data
is repeated for each directory contained in the folder. In
exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the result data is
retrieved from the monitoring database located on the storage
device 108. In alternative exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, this information is printed to the screen as the file
monitoring application receives it and the information is also
stored in the database either concurrently or after it is printed
to the screen.
[0031] The user interface depicted in FIG. 7 also includes a status
bar 708. When it contains the word "idle" this indicates that the
file monitoring application is waiting for its next scheduled
event. When the status bar 708 includes the phrase "preparing
e-mail" the process depicted in FIG. 6 is complete and an e-mail to
the specified distribution list is being created and delivered. A
status bar 708 message of "running" indicates that the process
depicted in FIG. 6 is currently communicating to the specified
servers and directories and collecting data. The user interface
depicted in FIG. 7 may be invoked by a user, such as an
administrator, at any time to perform tasks such as checking on
status and invoking the process depicted in FIG. 6.
[0032] In addition, a user may select the view option from the
toolbar 712 in FIG. 7. This results in the user being able to view
a scroll box of all previous activity. This may be useful to
conduct periodic comparisons of data. The data contained in the log
of previous activity may be archived or deleted by the user (e.g.,
an administrator) by selecting the manage option from the toolbar
712. This historical information may be downloaded to a database
for querying or it may be queried directly. Reports reflecting the
history of a particular file and/or server and/or directory may be
created from this data. In alternate exemplary embodiments of the
present invention, this data is utilized to provide an automatic
comparison between the current file size and the file size detected
by the previous run of the file monitoring application. A current
file size that is smaller than the previous file size triggers an
e-mail alert to the administrator and/or to the listed recipients.
This e-mail alert may be in addition to or in lieu of being
notified after every execution of the file monitoring application.
In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the recipients
may receive an e-mail report, such as the one depicted in FIG. 8 on
a less frequent basis unless the file routing monitoring
application detects a possible problem (e.g., file size is smaller
than on previous run).
[0033] FIG. 8 is an exemplary e-mail notification format that may
be utilized by exemplary embodiments of the present invention. This
e-mail notification is sent as part of presenting data to a user in
step 614 of FIG. 6. The sample format in FIG. 8 includes a high
priority message being sent with a "from address" 802 that was
specified in the administrator entry box 302 in FIG. 3. FIG. 8 also
includes a "to address" 804 that includes the recipients entered by
the user in the recipient e-mail address entry box 502 in FIG. 5.
This e-mail is sent to all listed recipients. The subject 806 is
"file checker" and includes the date and time that the file
monitoring application was executed. There is one entry 808 in the
report for each file path specified in the file path entry box 402
in FIG. 4. Each entry 808 includes the file path, the names of
every file found in the specified path, the date and time each file
in the path was created, the date and time each file in the path
was last modified and the size of each file in the path. In
alternate exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the
results of the file monitoring application may also be transmitted
as a text message to other devices such as e-mail addresses,
interactive pagers and/or cellular telephones.
[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be
utilized to automate file monitoring. Monitoring tasks including:
verifying file existence, checking file created dates, checking
modified dates and checking file sizes may be performed by a user
reading a report that is created and e-mailed to the user on a
regular basis. This is contrasted with the user having to logon to
a number of servers to look up the data manually. Server
administrators, database administrators and web masters that are
concerned with log file sizes, backup files or any other non-static
files will be able to spend less time monitoring files (e.g.,
verifying that backups have been created) because portions of the
monitoring process has been automated by exemplary embodiments of
the present invention. Exemplary embodiments of the present
invention provide one or more folders of file paths that are easy
to create and modify. In addition, it is easy to modify the list of
recipients and logging is built in to the system.
[0035] As described above, embodiments can be embodied in the form
of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing
those processes. In exemplary embodiments, the invention is
embodied in computer program code executed by one or more network
elements. Embodiments include computer program code containing
instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes,
CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage
medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and
executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for
practicing the invention. Embodiments include computer program
code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into
and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some
transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling,
through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein,
when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a
computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the
invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor,
the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to
create specific logic circuits.
[0036] While the invention has been described with reference to
exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the
particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for
carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include
all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote
any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc.
are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the
use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of
quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the
referenced item.
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